Sewing machines



Aug. 25, 1959 F. GEGAUF SEWING MACHINES Filed June l0, 1954 IN VEN TOR im vini Aug, 25, 1959 F. GEGAUF 'SEWING MACHINES Filed June 1o. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m @Mmmm 5% /NVE/v TOR;

United States Patent SEWING MCHINES :Fritz Gegaulsteclchorn, Switzerland, assignorLxtolEritz Gegauf Aktiengesellschaft Bernina-Nahmaschinenfabrrik, fsteckborn, Switzerland 'Application .l une 10, 1954, `Serial No.' 435,832 .Claims priority, application-Switzerland June ,18, 1,1953 16"Claims. "(Cl.,1`12158) assembledin ord-er 'to render possible automatic sewing o'f ornamental stitches Vin A addition to the usual Azig-Zag seam. Thereby 'the motion Lis transmitted 'from the earn, in order Jreproduce the transverse 'needle deflection, over alfeel'er resiliently pressed against the cam. As` such 'a transmission is notfaforced one 'high-speedsewing is not possible withthis type 'of machine.

"The transmission by means of a .cam and `a eeler `resiliently pressed against this cam, 'may be "admissible v'for the production of rornamental seams owing tothe lower sewing speed and the fact that such sewing of ornamental seams is rather rare compared with thewide use of zig zag sewing. The motion transmission for 'the production of the transverse needle deflection in the largely used Azig-.zag sewing, however, must be a forced one..forthe aforo-mentioned reasons. It is an object of -tbeapresent invention .to provide a `zfig-zagsewing machine `permitting, owing to the guided transmission of the motion to the needle, sewing `of `zig-zag,seams atjlrighest-speed and with optimum` regularity.

,It is aturther ,objectof ,theninvention toprovidemeans affording in a fzig-zag sewing machine the production of ornamental stitchlpattern atjhigh-speed.

'The aforefmentioned disadvantages of the transmission by means of a cam .andra 'feeler resiliently held against thelatter are'prevented in the novel sewing machine and more particularlyin a zig-zag sewingmachine according tothe invention vto therebyproduce ,decorative stitchpatterns), in that Vtwo gears operating at different Vspeeds with respect ,toeach other are `provided.,,one for the, production Oflig-.zag .seams and the-other for the production of ornamental seams, the transmitting elements of .said two gears :being loosely `arranged .on the aide of Vtherguide lever determinating the extent of vthe transverse needle deflection, y.andadapted `to ,beselectively .connected with :said guidey lever .by-.means of r.a coupling membernin order to use. either one or. theother of ,the gears forthe production foffthe transverse needle deflection.

Other objects -andadvanta-ges `of Vthe invention i will i 'becorneapparent from the: description now` to follow, of `a preferred :.emodimcnt thereof shown -by wayofexample in the accompanying, 'partly diagrammatic, drawings, in which:

iii-lig. :isralongitudinal sectionnhroughstheaupper part 2,900,937; Patented VAng. 25, 1959 r-z Zo'f a sewing machine comprising two gears for the Ntransverse oscillation of the needle;

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section through the `upper'part ofthe sewing machine serving'to more clearly 'show certain moving parts;

'Fig 3 shows a detail ofFig. .1, illustrating two transmitting members loosely (arranged on the `axle offthe Vguide lever;

"Pig i4 is altopplan view to Fig. '3 including coupling partstherefor;

"Fig `5 is ai partly sectional top plan view to Fig. `1 with the upper cover plate removed and showing 'the arrangementof the complete mechanism, and

Figs 68 are enlarged cross sections taken along the lines VI-VL VIl-Vll and VIIl---VIII,` respectively, of

In the drawings reference numeral 1 designates the hollow standard or framepost of the `sewing machine carrying the upper or 4horizontal hollow arm 2 with the cover '3 closing said arm 2. In 4this arm 2 the upper drive shaft 4 of the machine is supported, this shaft carrying the conventional handwheel 5 and being rotatable by atransmission string 6 driven by the usual driving means `(not shown). As visible in Fig. lithis drive is transmitted, Lby means of the cam `disc 47 to crank pin 8, the link member-9 and the'driver |10 actingon the needle bar 11 so as to impart 'thereto aireciprocating longitudinal `orl up-and-down motion. The needle bar 11, which carrries the sewing needle '(not shown) is movably guided, `according'to commonpractice, inra swingable frame'lZ, Which receives its oscillatory motion over a hinge 13 from `albar T14 forming an extension of a guiding fork l5 pivoted ron a pin 16. By this oscillatory motion of the frame, nthe needle bar '1'1 receivesin a Vknown way, the transverse motion necessary for producing a zig-zag seam.

y The amplitude of this transverse motion can ybe varied in aknown way from zero to a given upper limit, for which purposea block '19 carrying the said pin 1'6 is slidably mounted in the conventional swingable guide lever 17 .the latterbeing supported `on a pivot shaft 18 journalle'd in hollow iarm. 2. `Adjustment of the block 19 is .possible, in known manner, by means of a rotatable knob .(not shown) .arranged at the outside 'of the `machine frame 1, I2 and coupled to the mouth of the .guiding fork 15.

`The drive shaft 4 .transmits its rotary motion to .two gears. The spiral wheel 20 secured by the screw 2`1 on the shaft 4 drives the spiral wheel 24 mounted on` a shaft 2'21an`d `carrying thecam 23. This. cam 23 imparts to the fork 25, which is [loosely .arranged on theiaxle or shaft 18, the latter carrying guide lever 17, a pendulum motion.

. Fork 2S ismprovided with a slot '25a (Figs. '3 and '4), for

awpurpose later idesoribed.

"InFigs f2, 4, 7 and `8 reference numeral Z6 designates a support rigidly mofunted on said axle '18 and provided .with a slidable `coupling member 27 having a pin 28. "Moreover a "two-iarm Vtransmission lever 29 Ais loosely mounted on axle 18 (Figs. l, `3, 4, 5, 7 and 8"), which transmission lever has `one arm provided with a slot 291i '(lFigs. "3 and 4), "the other arm'ibeing Ibifurcated to receive `a vroll 30. The latter is rigidly mounted in the `arm "31 "dfa Vtwo-arm "lever loosely `mounted on lthe aide 6`2^withinhollow support?.` andyhaving its other larm 33 provided with aefeeler A34 adjustable in a slot '33a (Fig. s6).

Thelaterali'displacement and adjustment of the *feele'r 34, which'cooperates with one of -a number of cam discs 38 `for producing `:ornamental stitches, `is obtained `fby means =of -a handl lever 35 connected by i means of a hinge pin'36 (Figs. 2 ande) `withan axle fholt 37 whichin` turn is thus swingablelintwo directions.

IFhe cam discs 318 :are i driven by a iworm B9 rigidly secured on the shaft 4 by means of a screw 40 and driving at reduced speed a worm wheel 41 mounted on an axle 4t2 together with the cam discs 38 (Figs. 1 and 5).

An arm 43 is mounted on the mentioned axle bolt v37 (Figs. 2 and 7), and has its forked end 44 engaged by the coupling pin 28 of the coupling member 27. In Fig. 5 reference numeral 45 designates a spring co-operating with the arm 33 of the two-arm lever 33, 31 for pressing the feeler 34 in the direction of the cams 38. A stationary strip ES (Figs. l, 2 and 6) is provided at one side with a number of notches and a spring d6 (Fig. 2) serves to press the stop 47 of the lever 35 into the notch corresponding to the selected cam disc. A dial 49 isprovided on the cover 3 of the upper arm 2 near the lever 35, and this dial comprises a number of marks corresponding to the number of diierent cams.

The operation of the afore-descri-bed machine is the following:

As already mentioned the cam disc 23 rotating on the shaft 22 imparts a pendulum motion to the fork 25 loosely mounted on the axle l. If the coupling element 27, which is slidably arranged in a groove of the support 26 rigidly mounted on the axle 18, is inserted into the slot 25a of the fork 2.5 (Figs. 3 and 4) by means of the levers 35 and 43 (Fig. 2), the guide lever 17 receives the well-known, guided oscillatory motion for the production of zig-zag seams.

In this case the lever 29, which is actuated over the levers 31 and 33, the feeler 34S and the operating cam 38, oscillates loosely on the axle 18.

if, however, the coupling member 27 is moved, by

means of the levers 35 and 43, in the direction opposite to the aforeamentioned direction, and thus brought into engagement with the slot 29a of lever 29, the guide lever 17 will receive its oscillatory motion over the cam gear for the production of ornamental seams. Thereby the fork 2S is out of engagement with the support 26 rigidly mounted on the axle 18 and effects a free swinging mo- Ition on the latter.

By means of the described displacement of the coupling member 27 in the one or the other direction the guide lever 17 is thus coupled to the elements of the one or the other of the afore-described gears, which two gears operate at different speeds. As is obvious, only one of the two gears may co-operate with the guide lever 17 at the saine time. l

Thus the sewing of zig-Zag seams may take place at highest speed with optimum regularity owing to the guided transmission of the motion to the needle.

On the other hand the combination according to the present invention renders possible the production of ornamental seams at high speed, if, when the guiding gear is used, the knob arranged at the outside of the machine is actuated by hand. This is a further important advantage of the machine according to the invention.

Of course several elements of the described embodiment may be changed without departing from the invention. For example the actuating lever 43 for the coupling member 27 could be formed as an independent, additional lever adapted to be actuated (as lever 35) from the outside of the machine. Moreover the two separately driven gears may be of such a construction that the motion of the second `gear is transmitted by the driven shaft of the rst gear. The coupling itself may be obtained in many different ways. Fo-r example the represented coupling member may be replaced by a coupling catch adapted to be switched either to the left or to the right.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a sewing machine having a hollow, substantially horizontal arm in which is journalled a substantially horizontal drive shaft, a needle bar, and a frame for guiding said needle bar and arranged for swinging movement relative to said drive shaft; means connecting said needle bar and said frame in driving relation to said drive shaft for imparting to said needle bar a reciprocable longitudinal movement and a transverse swinging movement, said connecting means including first means for producing zig-Zag stitches and second means for producing ornamental stitches, respectively, carried out by a needle when joined to said needle bar, respective sets of gear means accommodated in said horizontal arm and operatively connecting said drive shaft with said rst means and said second means, respectively, a swingable guide lever including a pin for attachment with said connecting means and slidable within said guide lever, whereby `upon slidable displacement of said pin on said guide lever the amplitude of motion of said connecting means may be varied, an axle journalled in said hollow arm and supporting said guide lever, said lirst means including a cam driven by one set of said gear means for transmitting motion from said drive shaft to said cam, a fork loosely seated on said axle and actuatable by said cam to thereby impart swinging movement to said fork, a support ixedly mounted on said axle and provided with coupling means arranged for sliding displacement thereon, an operating lever connected to said coupling means, said fork being provided with a slot registrable with said coupling means upon selective displacement of said operating lever in one direction, whereby said guide lever is coupled through said axle with said fork and is oscillated to impart through said connecting means movements to said needle -b-ar and frame for producing said zig-zag stitches, said second means including a plurality of cam disc means in driving relation with said drive shaft through another set in said gear means, said operatingA lever including a transmission lever, and feeler means cooperable with a predetermined cam ydisc means upon displacement of said operating lever in an opposite direction, in which said coupling means is brought in registry with a slot provided in said transmission lever so that movements thereof are transmitted from said predetermined cam disc means onto said feeler and thence through said transmission lever an guide lever to said connecting means and needle bar for producing said ornamental stitches.

2. In a sewing machine having a substantially .horizontal drive shaft, a needle bar, and a swingably supported frame for said needle bar; means connecting said needle lbar and said frame in operative relation to said drive shaft whereby to said needle bar a reciprocable longitudinal movement and a transverse swinging movement are imparted for producing Zig-zag stitches and ornamental stitches, respectively, by a needle when carried by said needle bar, respective means interconnecting said drive shaft with operable means provided adjacent the latter for moving said connecting means to cause said zig-zag stitches and said ornamental stitches, respectively, said operable means including Ia swingable guide lever with a member :for attachment with said connecting means, an axle supporting said guide lever, said operable means comprising first means and second means in driving relation with said drive shaft, said rst means including a driven cam, a fork loosely seated on said axle and actuatable by said cam to thereby impart swinging movement to said fork, coupling means supported by said axle `and arranged for sliding displacement thereon, a manually operated lever connected to said coupling means for actuating same, said fork being provided with a slot registrable with said coupling means upon selective displacement of said manual lever in one direction, whereby said guide lever is coupled through said axle with said fork and oscillates said connecting means for producing said Zig-zag stitches, said second means including a plurality of driven cam ldisc means, la transmission lever provided with a slot, and feeler means cooperable with a predetermined cam disc means upon displacement of said manual lever in an opposite direction, whereby said coupling means is brought in registry with said slot of said transmission lever and movements thereof are transmitted from. said;pr.edetermined cam disc means 'through said guide lever to said connecting means fon-producing saidornamental stitches.

:3. -In .a `sewing machine having within a hollowarm asubstantially horizontaldriveshaft, .a needle bar` driven by said tshaft, and :a swingably supported frame for said needle bar; trod means operatively connecting said frame of Ysaid .needle-bar with said ldriveshaft whereby besides a reciprocable longitudinally movement also .a transverse swinging `movement is imparted to fsaid needle bar for producingzigfzag Astitches .-andornamental stitches, respectively, by aneedle when carried by said needle bar, respective -gear means t ,continuously `driven .by and `interconnecting saididrive` shaft with operable means provided adjacent the latter formoving said :rod-.means tocause said `nig-zag `stitches and said :ornamental stitches, respectively, guidemeans common to said operable means and swivelly connected to -said rod imeans, an axle arranged to support said ,guide means, said `operable means `comprising first lmeans and 'second means adapted to be operatively :coupled with said drive shaft, said first means including a cam, ra forkfloosely :seated on said :axle and actuatable sby-xsaid cam to. thereby impart swinging movement tosaid fork, :coupling means supported` bysaid ,axle and arranged forsliding displacement thereon, a manually operated rlever connected to said coupling means for actuating isame, said ,fork ibeing provided with a, slot registrable :with :said :coupling means upon selective displacement "of said manual lever in onedirection, whereby said guidemeaus is :coupled withxsaid Yfork and transfers 4oscillations .therefrom :to vrod-means `for producing said zig-:zag stitches, .saidzsecond :means including at least one cam disc means, :a transmission lever `provided with a slot, `:and :feeler means :connected `to saidmanual lever and lcooperable with .saidrcam disc means upon displacementof .said manual-lever intanoppositedirection, whereby -saidcoupling meansis brought in :registry with said slot :of said .transmission leverand movements imparted Itheretoufromrsaid cam disczrneans are. transmitted through saidfguide fmeans Lto said rodmeans .for producing said ornamental stitches.

4. A sewing machine having a substantially horizontal -hollow arm with a drive shaft journalled therein, a needle bar actuatable by said drive shaft to perform a reciprocablelongitudinal movement, and aneedle bar frame swingably Vsupported 'by said arm; comprising rod means connecting said frameof said needle 'bar in operative relation .with said drive shaft whereby said needle bar performs 'besides saidlongitudina-l movement `a transrverse swinging movement for Vproducing zig-zag stitches and .ornamental stitches, respectively, `by a needle when carried Iby rsaid needle "bar, operable means positioned about and adjacent said drive shaft and journalled in said hollow arm, respective gear means driven by said drive shaft for actuating said operable means and to move said rod means therebycausing Asaidzig-zag stitches and said ornamental stitches, respectively, a swingable guide lever attached tosaid rodmeans,anaxle supported insaid arm Y and oscillatably carrying said guide lever, said operable means comprising rst means and second means, said first means including a cam in driving relation to said drive shaft, a fork loosely seated on said axle and engageable by said cam to thereby impart swinging movement to said fork, coupling means supported by and arranged for sliding displacement relative to said axle, a manually operated lever extending beyond said arm and connected to said coupling means for actuating same, said fork being provided with means engageable with said coupling means upon selective `displacement of said manual lever in one direction, whereby said guide lever is coupled with said fork and oscillates said axle and through said guide lever said rod means for producing said zig-zag stitches, said second means including at least one cam disc means in driving relation with said drive shaft, a transmission lever connected lto said manual lever, and feeler means co operable with said cam `disc means iupon; `,displacement of said manual `lever .in anopposite direction, whereby saidvcoupling means is vbroughtintoengagement with said transmissiontlever, so that movements `thereof areftrfansmitted through said guide :lever tosaid rod means vfor producingsaid ornamental stitches, said cam engaging said fork in 4the latter displacement position ofsaid manual lever fandtcausing said fork to idly @swing :on said axle.

5. A sewing machine having -a substantiallyhorizontal hollow 'arm with ,a `drive shaft journalled therein, a needle bar actuatable by said drive `shaft toperforma reciprocable longitudinal movement, :and a needle .bar frame swingably supported in said ;arm;a c omprising rod means operatively connecting said frame with said drive shaft Wherebyfsaid needle bar :performs besides said 1ongitudinal movement ea ltransverse swinging movement ifor producing :zigezag stitches and `'ornamental stitches,re spectively, operable means "positioned adjacent `said drive shaft and journlled `in Asaid hollow arm, respcctivesets of gear :means rotated by :said :drive shaft, a .swingable guide lever :attached :to said `rod means, an axle ,'supported in said arm -androscillatably Lcarryingsaid guide lever, said operable meansicomprisingiirst meansand second means, .saidiirst means including a cam inoperative connection with onetset of saidgear means, afforkioosely seated on said axle and engageableby said camgtothereby impart swinging movement to said fork, coupling means including `adixed support on said axle and arranged for sliding displacement relativejto the latter, Aa manually operated leverextending through `an opening of 'said arm and .connected to'said.couplingmeanszfor displacingzsame in two directions,.respcctively, for producing .said stitches, selectively, K4said fork being provided with means engageable `with said :coupling Ameans upon `predetermined :displacementof said ,manual leverin one direction relative to said arm, whereby Lsaid 4fork is 'coupled with said. guide lever and `then to Asaidfrod means, `said `second :means including at leastonecam disc means .inoperative `relation with .another set of said Agear means, and further means cooperableV `with said cam disc :means and connected :to said manuallever to thereby couple whenthe latter fis moved in `an oppositedirectionf said couplingmeans with a'tportion -of said `further means and `through the`latter with said guide lever and saidrod means.

6. AseWingmachine-according to claim'S, said further means includinga lfeeler for contact with said one VAcam disc means, and a transmission lever `loosely seated'lon said axle, 'said rcoupling Vmeans being engageable witha portion of sai-d transmission lever upon movement of 'said manual "lever in said 'Opposite direction, `whereby `-said transmission lever is coupled to said "axle, which *then takes bupthe swinging movements -of said transmission lever initiated fbysaid Afeeler and-said cam disc means for transmission to said swingable guide lever and said lrod means. A

"7. A `sewing Mmachine according to claim 6, wherein said feeler'connected tot-said manual lever is ffurther connected to said transmission lever by means of a doublearmed lever.

8. A sewing machine according to claim 6, including a plurality of cam disc means, means for guiding said feeler upon movement of said manual lever, and stop means on said manual lever for facilitating adjustment of position of said feeler relative to said cam disc means.

9. A sewing machine according to claim 5, wherein each set of said gear means is provided with a driven shaft extending substantially perpendicular to said drive shaft and substantially parallel to said axle, said driven shafts being journalled in an inner wall dening the space of said hollow arm.

l0. A sewing machine according to claim 9, one of said drivenshafts carrying said cam of saidv first means, the other driven shaft supporting said cam disc means of said second means.

11. A sewing machine according to claim 5, wherein said cam disc means and said cam are positioned at one longitudinal side of said drive shaft, said guide lever and connectingV rod means extending at the opposite longitudinal side of said drive shaft.

12. A sewing machine according to claim 5, said coupling means being constituted by a pin arranged for sliding Ymovement in a groove provided in said support, a bifnrcated lever linked to said manual lever and engaging said pin for displacement in said groove, said fork being provided with a slot arranged in the path of displacement of said pin and for engagement therewith in said one position of said manual lever, whereby said fork is coupled to said axle and thence to said guide lever.

13. A sewing machine according to claim 12, said further means including a feeler, and a transmission lever loosely seated on said axle and provided with a slot, said manual lever when displaced into said opposite direction causes through said bifurcated lever sliding displacement of said pin into engagement with said slot of said transmission lever to thereby couple said axle to said cam disc means of said second means, said feeler being connected to said manual lever and being cooperable with said cam disc means to perform movements thereby, said feeler being operatively connected to said transmission lever to transfer said feeler movements via said transmission lever to said axle and said guide lever.

14. A sewing machine comprising a frame, a needle bar pivotally carried by said frame and mounted for end- Wise reciprocation and for lateral swinging movements, a drive shaft, connecting means connecting said needle bar and said frame in operative relation to said drive shaft to impart to said needle bar movements for producing zigzag stitches and ornamental stitches, operable means adjacent said drive shaft for moving said connecting means to cause zig-zag stitches and ornamental stitches, said operable means including a swingable guide'lever having a member attached to said connecting means, an axle supporting said guide lever, said operable means further including first means and second means in driving engagement with said drive shaft, a fork loosely seated on said axle and actuated by said iirst means to impart swinging movement to said fork, said guide lever being coupled through a manual lever operated coupling means mounted on said axle with said fork oscillating said connecting means for producing zig-zag stitches, said second means including a plurality of driven cam disc means, a transmission lever provided with a slot, and feeler means cooperable with a predetermined cam disc means upon displacement of said manual lever in an opposite direction to bring said coupling means Vinto registry with said slot of said transmission lever and to transmit movements from said predetermined cam disc means through said guide lever to said connecting means for producing said ornamental stitches.

15. The sewing machine ofkclaim 14, wherein said rst means includes a driven cam, said fork being actuated by said driven cam, said cam disc means and said cam being positioned at one longitudinal side of said drive shaft.

16. A sewing machine comprising a frame, a drive shaft journalled in said frame, a needle bar pivotally carried by said frame and actuable by said drive shaft, rod means connecting said needle bar in operative relation with said drive shaft to produce movements for producing zig-zag stitches and ornamental stitches, operable means positioned about and adjacent said drive shaft and journalled in said hollow arm, respective gear means driven by said drive shaft for actuating said operable means and to move said rod means thereby caussing said zig-zag stitches and said ornamental stitches, respectively, a swingable guide lever attached to said said rod means, an axle supported in said arm and oscillatably carrying said guide lever, said operable means comprising tirst means and second means, said rst means including a cam in driving relation to said drive shaft, a fork loosely seated on said axle and engageable by said cam to thereby impart swinging movement to said fork, coupling means supported by and arranged for sliding displacement relative to said axle, a manually operated lever extending beyond said arm and connected to said coupling means for actuating same, said fork being provided with means engageable with said coupling means upon selective displacement of said manual lever in one direction, whereby said guide lever is coupled with said fork and oscillates said axle and through said guide lever said rod means` for producing said zig-zag stitches, said second means including at least one ca m disc means in driving relation with said drive shaft, a transmission lever connected to said manual lever, and feeler means cooperable `with said cam disc means upon displacement of said manual lever in an opposite direction, whereby said coupling means is brought into engagement with said transmission lever, so that movements thereof are transmitted through said guide lever to said rod means for producing said ornamental stitches, said cam engaging said fork in the latter displacement position of said manual lever and causing said fork to idly swing on said axle.

References Cite-d in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,033,721 Miller July 23, 1912 1,338,074 Eames et al. Apr. 27, 1920 1,611,372 Rader Dec. 21, 1926 2,297,197 Bolter Sept. 29, 1942 2,623,487 Marasco Dec. 30, 1952 2,653,557 Casas-Robert et al Sept. 29, 1953 2,664,058 Amman Dec. 29, 1953 2,684,649 Scarpa July 27, 1954 2,693,778 Harris Nov. 9, 1954 2,755,754 Urscheler July 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,184 Great Britain of 1908 

